Apparatus for protecting metal-vapor rectifiers



B. B. SCHAFER.

APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING METAL VAPOR BECTIFIERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10, 1920.

1,367,098, Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

-7 "III"!!! I;

Irv-v 912/201 .S'clzfllezr lbborzzeg UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BELL BENtj SCHKIER, OF BADEN, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GLEICHRICHTER- AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, 0F GLARUS, SWITZERLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING METAL-VAPOR RECTIFIEBS.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application flied February 10, 1920 Serial K0 357351- siding at No. 39 Schartenstrasse, Baden,

Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Apparatus for Protecting Metal-Vapor Rectifiers, of which the following is a specification.

It has already been proposed to construct the arc-guiding tubes, pipes or the like leading from the anodes to the cathode, in such a manner that their mouths are turned away from one another. This arrangement 1s based on the desire to remove the anode as much as possible from the injurious action of the cathode, which latter may consist for instance of an irradiation with ultra-violet rays,0r in the action of the so-called negative flame rising from the cathode or finally 111 the impact of mercury globu es. In rectifiers comprisin a glass vessel and a spherical form of the container, it is comparatively easy to employ such arrangements.

It is however much more diilicult to do this in the case of metal-vapor rectifiers having a metal vessel, in which the anodes are offset from the axis of the vessel and shifted close to the wall of the vessel.

Nevertheless, in order to attain the desired effect, the round aperture of the arcguiding sleeve is according to this invention, shut oil from the cathode by a louvered or a slotted device. .The protective apparatus may likewise be located with the same effect also at any desired other suitable point of the path of the current between the anode and the cathode.

An embodimentfof this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation in partial section of an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is aplan of the louver shown in 1o r i i g is the metallic vacuum vessel; a is the anode and 7c is the mercury cathode; 0 is an insulator for the purpose of introducing the anode a in a gas-tight and insulated manner. This insulator is continued downward in the form of the metallic arc-guiding sleeve It, the lower 0 ening of which is closed by the louver 11 its passage in the direction ofthe arrow 7', the are is 'causedby the walls of the louvered closure to make two bends in particular it constitutes an effective agent against the so-called back ignitions.

The several inclined surfaces of thelouver may be made of metal, for instance iron.

The distance of'the surfaces apart maybe 1-2 cm. and it is not absolutely necessary that these surfacesshould completely overlap one another in the direction of the axis of the anode. It is essential that the opening of the sleeve It should appear to be closed when viewed from the direction of the cathode. The louverdevices do not constitute an appreciable obstacle and also they do not cause any increase in the total voltage drop of the arc.

What I claim is A protective apparatus for metal-vapor rectifiers including an anode, a cathode, an arc guiding sleeve and a louvered protect- Patented Feb. 1, 1921. y

ing wall at the open mouth of said are guiding sleeve, the planes of the louvers being. 

